Seed-containing pellet-dispensing equipment

ABSTRACT

A seed-containing pellet-forming equipment for automatically removing a single seed at a time from a mass of seeds and depositing such seed into a mold cavity which previously had been loaded with a charge of pellet-forming material and after the seed is deposited onto such charge, loading a second charge of such material into the cavity and then compressing the contents of the cavity to form such pellet.

[ Feb. 8, 1972 United States Patent Knapp 77 77 [[7 11 11 111 a k w R 3,022,755 2/1962 3,240,175 3/1966 Clow.......

154] SEED-CONTAINING PELLET- DISPENSING EQUIPMENT 3,380,626 4/1968 Giannini. 3,511,016 5/1970 Craig......

[72] Inventor: Philip B. Knapp, Lynbrook, NY.

[73] Assignee: Aptek Industries, Inc.

[22] Filed:

, Lynbrook, NY. 3,533,535 10/1970 Knapp ....22l/2ll Primary Examiner-Samuel F. Coleman Attorney-Arthur B. Colvin Sept. 4, 1969 [21] Appl. No.: 855,289

[51] Int. Cl..... [58] Field of References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/ l 943 2,737,314 3/1956 Anderson.....

the seed is deposited onto such charge, loading a second charge of such material into the cavity and then compressing the contents of the cavity to form such pellet.

.22l/2ll X 221/211 X 111/77 19 Claims, 36 Drawing Figures 2,325,665 2,871,805 2/1959 Behnen.........................::........

PATENTEDFEB 81972 3.640.428

' SHEET OEUF 15 F/axfz PHILIP B. KNAPP PATENTEU FEB 81972 SHEET 03 0F 15 I.\' v 1-; TOR. PHILIP a. KNAPP ATTORNEY PATENTEDFEB 8151. 2 3.1640428 SHEET 0'40! 15 INVENTOR.

' PHI IP B. KNAPP 208 L ATTORNEY PATENTEUFEB em (640,428

SHEET DSUF 15 ATTORNEY PATENTEU FEB 819?? SHEET UBUF 15 -w m wm W m8 i R m I I III K G H mm mm k mm a. m N w- W 9% R. NW .h f m Q Q mm m fi Q NR NQ & 2 W mo m E 3 9V Hui \WR i Q wm M mm on g wm mm mm 6 mm W a m \J 1/ m B\ g @Q 4 NQ H PATENTED FEB 81972 3.640.428

SHEET 120F 15 A T'I'ORNE Y PATENTEU FEB 8 1972 SHEET UN 15 IIVVIZJVI'OR, PHILIP B. KNAPP A TTORNE Y SHEET 1 4 OF is INVENTOR. PHILIP B. KNAPP ATTORNEY PATETEU FEB 8 I972 SHEET lSflF 15 INVEN'I'OR. PHILIP B. KNAPP ATTORNEY SEED-CONTAINING PELLET-DISPIENSING EQUIPMENT As conducive to an understanding of the invention, it is noted that due to the delicate nature of seeds which are planted for the growth of vegetable and flower crops and due to their small size and irregular shape, it is difficult individually to take a single seed and insert the same into a depression or cavity in the ground located at desired intervals. Moreover, where a large area is to be planted the cost of handling individual seeds would be prohibitive and commercially unfeasible.

As a result, seeds normally have been inserted into the ground either manually, or by automatic planters which will feed a plurality of seeds into each hole in the ground which is then covered. This method of planting results in the presence of several seeds in each hole with subsequent need to thin out the resultant growth promptly after emergence from the ground in order to provide desired growth conditions. This is necessary in order that each planted region only contain a desired number of seeds to insure that there will be proper nutrition given to each of the subsequent growths by reason of the nutrients contained in the ground and the water availability and in addition if several seeds have been planted in the same hole, unless the growth from all but one of the seed is removed, there normally will be a tendency for the multiplicity of growths to interfere with their proper development.

Where, to facilitate handling of the seeds, in order to permit the planting of a single seed at a time in each hole, a seed cell or pellet is provided, such as shown and described in applicants copending U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 781,014, which comprises a casing of suitable material encompassing the seed cell to protect the latter and permit handling thereof either manually or by automatic planting equipment so that a single seed can be planted in an individual hole, due to the delicate nature of the seed, manual handing thereof to form the pellet, unless done extremely carefully, would cause injury to the seed with resultant failure of the latter to grow.

In view of the fact that even to plant a relative small area, thousands of seed cells or pellets would have to be planted, more particularly in a typical example of lettuce seeds, a minimum of 26,000 seeds would have to be planted to an acre, it is apparent that manually to form seed cells or pellets each containing an individual seed would be so prohibitive in cost as to have no commercial value.

It is accordingly among the objects of the invention to provide an equipment for automatically forming seed cells or pellets each containing a single seed.

Another object of the invention is to provide an equipment which automatically removes one seed at a time from a mass of seeds without likelihood of injury to such seed and which will thereupon form seed cells or pellets, each containing a single seed, which equipment will operate at a relatively high rate of speed and is not likely to be deranged even after long use.

Another object of the invention is to provide an equipment of the above type in which a pellet will be formed without likelihood of excessive pressure being applied to the seed contained therein.

Still another object of the invention is to provide equipment of the above type in which accurate selection will be made between those pellets in which seeds have properly been located and those pellets in which no seeds have been placed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the invention, a mam of seeds are transported by a conveyor belt while simultaneously with the movement of such belt a plurality of seed pickup devices in the form of nozzles are advanced in substantially the same path of movement as the conveyor so that the nozzles will move into the mass of seeds carried by the conveyor, the nozzles being conformed so that when suction is applied to the nozzles, each nozzle will remove a single seed from the conveyor. Thereupon, the nozzles are successively advanced to a seed discharge station where air pressure is applied to the nozzle to eject the seed can-ied thereby to a pellet-fonning device. The pellet-forming device comprises a plurality of mold cavities moving past the discharge station, each of said cavities being adapted to receive a single seed as it is ejected from the associated nozzle. The cavities have opposed plungers associated therewith, one of which forms the floor of the cavity. As the cavities advance, means are provided successively to load the latter with a charge of material from which the bottom layer of the pellet is formed and after the seed has been deposited on such bottom layer, load the cavity with a charge of material from which the top layer of the pellet is formed. With further advance of each of the cavities, the plungers are brought together to compress the material charged into each cavity to fonn a pellet, the compression being greatest at the periphery of the pellet so that the seed located in the center thereof will not be subjected to excessive pressures.

According to one feature of the invention, each of the layers of material charged into the cavity to form the bottom and top layers of the pellet is itself formed from two separate and distinct materials which are successively charged into the cavity so that the pellet is actually formed from four layers. Thus, the two innermost layers in which the seed will be embedded are formed from material which provides a cushioning effect thereby further to protect the delicate seed and the two outer layers are formed from materials which promote the initial growth of the seed.

With continued movement of the cavities and the pellets formed therein, the pellets will be advanced to a discharge station where they are successively ejected from the cavities into suitable containers. Since there is a possibility that the pickup nozzles may not have properly removed a seed from the mass, so that no seed would be discharged into an associated cavity, means are provided to detect those pellets which are ejected from the pellet discharge station in which no seed had been positioned. To this end, the equipment has detection means associated with the seed discharge station which will sense whether or not a seed is being expelled into an associated cavity and through appropriate memory circuits, if no seed has been expelled, when the associated pellet reaches the pellet discharge station it will be diverted into a reject container.

In the accompanying drawings in which is shown one of various possible embodiments of the several features of the invention,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the equipment;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view thereof taken along line 3- 3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal view partly in cross section taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary end view with parts broken away, taken along line 55 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a detail sectional view taken along line 66 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a detail sectional view taken along line 7--7 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view with parts broken away taken along line 8--8 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along line 9--9 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along line 10-10 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 11 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 11- 11 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 11a is a perspective view of the pickup tube;

FIG. i2 is a sectional view taken along line 12l2 of FIG. I 1;

FIG. 13 is a sectional view on a enlarge scale of the control valve showing the latter in the pressure position;

FIG. 14 is a view similar to FIG. 13 showing the valve in the suction position;

FIG. 1 .5 is a longitudinal view partly in cross section taken along line 15-15 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 16 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the pelletforming mechanism;

FIG. 17 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along 17-17 of FIG.

FIG. 18 is a detailed sectional view taken along line 18- 18 of FIG. 17;

FIG. 19 is a fragmentary detail sectional view on a greatly enlarged scale of the pickup nozzle taken along line 19-19 of FIG. 1 1;

FIG. 20 is a fragmentary perspective view on an enlarged scale of the feed hopper for the pellet;

FIG. 21 is a sectional view taken along line 21--21 of FIG. 20;

FIG. 22 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a portion of the pellet discharge station;

FIG. 23 is a side elevational view partly in cross section of the pellet-distributing unit taken along line 23-23 of FIG. 15;

FIG. 24 is a detail sectional view taken along line 24-24 of FIG. 22;

FIG. 25 is a sectional view taken along line 25 25 of FIG. 15;

FIG. 26 is a fragmentary perspective view of the pellet discharge station;

FIG. 27 and FIG. 27:: are diagrammatic views of the control circuit for the pellet discharge station;

FIG. 28 is a perspective view of the pellet or seed cell made according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 29 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 29-- 29 of FIG. 28, and

FIGS. 30a to 302 are diagrammatic views illustrating the steps in forming the pellet.

Referring now to the drawings, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the equipment comprises a frame 31 including a substantially rectangular base or platform 32 from the sides of which rise substantially trapezoidal supports 33, 34 each defining an A- frame having horizontal top surfaces 35, 36, the former being in a higher plane than the latter.

Extending in a horizontal plane between the legs 37, 38 of support 33, is a strut 39 which lies in the same plane as a strut 41 secured at one end to one of the legs 42 of support 34 and supported at its other end by vertical strut 43 rising from base 32. A strut 44 extending transversely between the legs 38 and 45 of supports 33, 34 serves to maintain the latter in spaced parallel relationship.

The frame above described mounts the various elements of the equipment which will now be described in detail.

SEED PICKUP ASSEMBLY In order to mount the pickup assembly 40, a pair of brackets 46, 47 (FIG. 1) are provided, rising from the top surfaces 35, 36 of each of the side supports 33, 34. Mounted on said brackets are clamp blocks 48, 49 which rigidly support a hollow shafi 50 extending transversely across the frame 31.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 11, the ends of shaft 50 extend beyond an associated clamp block 48, 49 and a vacuum or suction line 51 is connected to one end of shaft 50 and a pressure line 52 is connected to the other end of the shaft.

As shown in FIG. 11, a plug 53 is positioned in the center of shaft 50 to divide the latter into a vacuum chamber 54 and a pressure chamber 55. In order to insure that a seal is maintained between the chambers 54, 55, the plug 53 has a circumferential groove 56 in its periphery which is aligned with an opening 57 in shaft 50 and with an opening 58 in a sleeve 59 encompassing the midportion of shaft 50.

The sleeve 59 is secured to the hollow shaft 50 and to plug 53 by a setscrew 61 which locks the parts in fixed position. Before inserting the setscrew 61, a sealant is forced through aligned openings 57, 58 into groove 56 to fill the latter, effectively to form a seal between the chambers 54, 55.

Eneompassing the sleeve 59 and positioned between spaced annular ribs 64, preferably formed integral with the sleeve 59, is a clamp block 62 formed from two substantially identical sections 62a and 62b. Each of the sections 62a, 62b has an arcuate recess which, when juxtaposed, form a central opening through which the sleeve 59 extends. Thus, when the sections 62a, 6.21? are urged together by bolts 63, they will securely clamp the sleeve 59 therebetween so that the block 62 will be retained in fixed position with respect to the hollow shaft 50.

The section 62b of block 62 has an outstanding arm 65, bifurcated at its outer end and rotatably mounting a cam roller 66, the function of which will hereinafter be described.

Referring to FIG. 11, it is to be noted that the end portions 67 of the sleeve 59 define annular supports for the inner race of bearings 68. Encompassing the outer race of each of said bearings 68 is an associated ring member 69 which is secured by a plurality of circumferentially spaced screws 71 to the hub 72 of an associated disc 73. As is clearly shown in FIGS. 4 and 1 1, each of the discs 73 has a peripheral rim 74 connected by a plurality of radial arms 75 to the hub 72.

Also secured to each of the discs 73 on the outer surface thereof and encompassing the hollow shaft 50 are annular members 76, each of the inner peripheries of which has an annular groove 77 in which an annular sealing member 78 is positioned. Each of the sealing members which engages the fixed shaft 50, may be lubricated through an associated passageway 78' extending substantially radially through the annular member 76. As is shown in FIG. 1 1, the annular members 76 are secured to the associated disc 73 by screws 79.

The annular member 76 serves as the support and closure member for one end of an associated manifold sleeve 81, 81 the other end of each sleeve being supported by an annular member 82 identical to the annular member 76.

Referring to FIG. 11, it is to be noted that an additional annular member 82 is secured to the end of each of the manifold sleeves 81 by screws 83. Secured to each of said additional annular members 82 is an annular retaining member 84 which encompasses the outer race of a bearing 85. The inner race of each of the bearings 85 is supported by the inwardly extending flange 86 of a retainer member 87, 88, the latter being retained in fixed position .on the shaft 50 by retainer rings 89 secured to the shaft by screws 91.

The annular member 84 associated with retainer member 88 is secured to the associated annular member 82 by bolts 92. Tile annular member 84 associated with flange 87 has associated therewith a toothed pulley 93 which .is secured in position by bolts 94 which also serve to retain the annular member 84 against member 82.

With the arrangement above described, it is apparent that upon rotation of the pulley 93 in the manner hereinafter to be described, the manifold sleeves 81, 81' as well as the spaced parallel discs 73 will rotate in unison around the fixed shaft 50, such rotation being facilitated by the bearings 68, 85 with the gaskets 78 providing a seal at the ends of each of the manifold sleeves 81, 81'.

As is shown in FIG. 11, the hollow shaft 50 has a plurality of openings 95 which provide communication between the chambers 54, 55 and the annular chambers 96, 97 defined by the manifold sleeves 81, 81

As is clearly shown in FIGS. 1, 5 and 11, for example, a plurality of valves 10] are secured in circumferentially spaced relationship to the outer peripheries of the spaced parallel discs 73. More particularly, referring to FIGS. 11 and 13, each of the valves 101 comprises a substantially rectangular block, positioned between the peripheries 74 of discs 73 and secured in position by screws 102. Each of the valves has tapered sidewalls and extends transversely between the discs, being circumferentially arranged therearound.

Referring to FIG. 13, each of the valves has a bore 103 extending therethrough, the bores of the plurality of valves extending substantially radially of the hollow shaft 50. Each of the bores is of enlarged diameter at the inner end 104 thereof to define a shoulder 105 to receive the flanged end 106 of a bushing 107. The outer end of each of the bores 103 is of reduced diameter as at 108 to define an annular shoulder 109 and the extremity of said reduced diameter portion 108 is internally threaded as at 111 to receive the correspondingly threaded end 112 of a nipple 113.

Slidably mounted in the bore 103, is a valve member 114, which is of reduced diameter at its outer end 115, to define an annular shoulder 116. An O-ring 117 encompasses said reduced diameter portion 115, being positioned in an annular groove 118 adjacent shoulder 116. The diameter of said portion 115 is just slightly less than the diameter of said portion 108 of bore 103 so that said portion 115 may enter into the reduced diameter portion 108 as shown in FIG. 13 at which time the O-ring 1 17 will provide a seal.

The inner end of valve member 114 is also of reduced diameter to form an elongated stem 121 that extends slidably through the bushing 107 and protrudes beyond the inner end 110 of the valve 101. As is clearly shown in FIGS. 13 and 1d, the root end of the stem 121 has an annular groove 122 encompassed by an O-ring 123, the latter being adapted to abut against the inner end 124 of bushing 107 to define a seal. Secured to the free end 125 of stem 121 by a transverse pin 126, is a cap 127, the latter having an enlarged head 128. A coil spring 129 encompassing the outer end of the stem, reacts against the head 128 and the end 110 of the valve 101, normally to urge the valve member 114 inwardly toward the hollow shaft 50.

As is shown in FIG. 13, the enlarged diameter portion of the valve member 114 has an annular groove 131 in which an ring 132 is positioned and the stem 121 also has an annular groove 133 in which an O-ring 134 is positioned. A transverse passageway 135 is provided in the stem 114 and is in communication with an passageway 136 extending through the valve member.

In the normal position of the valve member 114, shown in FIG. 14, when it is in extended position under the urging of coil spring 129, the enlarged diameter portion of the valve member 103 is aligned with pressure port 137 so that the latter is sealed, and the vacuum port 138 is aligned with the reduced diameter portion 115 of the valve member. As a result, the vacuum port 138 will be in communication with reduced diameter bore portion 108 which defines the outlet port of the valve and with the bore 139 of the fitting 113.

In the position shown in FIG. 13, in which the valve member has been moved inwardly, in the manner hereinafter to be described, the enlarged diameter portion of the valve member 114 will be aligned with vacuum port 138 to close the latter, the gasket 117 abutting against shoulder 109 to form a sea]. In this position the transverse bore 135 is aligned with the pressure port 137 so that air under pressure will flow through transverse passageway 135 and longitudinal passageway 136 into the bore 139 of fitting 113. The gaskets 134 and 132 will provide a seal as shown in FIG. 13 to prevent communication between the pressure port 137 and the vacuum port 138.

As shown in FIG. 14, the O-ring 123 will seat against the end 124 of bushing 107 so that the O-rings 123 and 132 will cut off communication between the airport 137 and the vacuum port 138.

As is clearly shown in the drawings and particularly FIGS. 11 and 14, the vacuum ports 138 of each of the valves are connected by a line 140 to an associated opening 141 in the manifold sleeve 81. Similarly, the pressure ports 137 are connected through an associated line 142 to an associated opening 143 in the manifold sleeve 81.

Thus, either vacuum or pressure will be applied to the bore 139 of fitting 113 in the manner hereinafter to be described.

Secured in each of the fittings 113 is one end of a pickup tube 151 which, as is clearly shown in FIGS. 4, and 11, has a root end 152 which is mounted in the fitting 113 (FIG. 14), an intermediate portion 153 which is displaced substantially transversely from said root end 152 and an end portion 154 which extends in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of said root end 152, said end portion 154 having a pickup portion 155 extending at substantially right angles thereto and having to nozzle 156 (FIG. 19) at its free end.

More particularly, as shown in FIG. 4, the pickup portions 155 are circumferentially aligned with each nozzle 156, being circumferentially spaced from the end 157 of the next preceding adjacent portion 155.

Referring particularly to FIG. 19, in the illustrative embodiment of the invention herein shown, the nozzle 156 comprises a plug 158 retained as by force fit in the end 159 of pickup portion 155. The plug 158 has an axial bore 161 therethrough which is of enlarged diameter at its outer end 162 leading into a frustoconical cavity 163 in the outer end of the plug.

Secured to the surface of cavity 163 is a resilient diaphragm 164 which may be of rubber, the diaphragm having a central aperture 165 aligned with axial bore 161. As shown in FIG. 19, the periphery of aperture 165 in the diaphragm extends inwardly beyond the periphery of the outer edge of enlarged bore portion 162, the diameter of said aperture 165 being slightly less than that of the seed S to be picked up by the nozzle 156.

The function of the noule is to pick up one seed at a time when suction is applied to the bore 161. This operation will be described in greater detail hereinafter.

The valves 101 are successively actuated as the manifold sleeves 81, 81 and discs 73 are rotated in the manner hereinafter to be described, by the abutment of the head 128 of cap 127 secured to the end of each of the valve members 114 against the cam roller 66 mounted at the end of the fixed arm 65. More particularly, as the pickup assembly 40 is rotated, and the caps 127 successively abut against the roller 66, the associated valve member 114 will be moved inwardly from the position shown in FIG. 14 in which vacuum is applied to the port 138 and thence through the bore 139 of fitting 113 to the associated feed pickup tube 151, to the position shown in FIG. 13 in which the vacuum port 138 is closed and the pressure port 137 is connected through aligned passageways 135, 136 to the bore of fitting 1 13.

The pickup assembly is supplied with seeds by a seed supply assembly now to be described.

SEED SUPPLY ASSEMBLY Referring to FIGS. 1, 4 and 7 to 10 inclusive of the drawings, the seed supply assembly is positioned between the two side supports 33 and 34. 1

More particularly, the seed supply asembly comprises a chamber 170' consisting of a pair of side plates 171, 172 (FIG. 7) end walls 173, 174 at the upper portion of the housing 170 and downwardly inclined between walls 175, 176 positioned between the sidewalls 171 and 172 which form a trough, the lower end of which is closed by a transverse block 177 (FIG. 8). The housing 170 is supported at one end on the transverse strut 44 on a block 44' and at its other end by a transverse strut 60.

As shown in FIG. 4, a pair of toothed pulleys 178, 179 are rotatably mounted between the sidewalls 171, ,172 on shafts 181, 182, the shaft 182 being in a lower plane than shaft 181. Encompassing the pulleys 178, 179 is a toothed conveyor belt 183, which, as shown in FIG. 6, has a groove 184 that is substantially V-shaped in cross section extending the entire length thereof and defining two parallel elongated reaction surfaces 184' extending parallel to said central groove 184. The portion of the upper run 185 of the conveyor belt 183 between pulleys 178, 179 is conformed to move in an arc as shown in FIG. 4. To this end, the top edge 186 of each of the side plates 171, 172 has an arcuate portion and a plurality of rollers 187 extend inwardly from the curved edge 186 as is shown in FIGS. 4 and 6 and said rollers 187 are also in an arcuate path and bear against the reaction surfaces 184' of the conveyor belt 183. As a result of this arrangement it is apparent that upon rotation of the conveyor belt 183 in the manner hereinafter to be described, the upper run 185 of said belt will move in an arcuate path. The pickup portions 155 of the pickup tubes 151 are designed to move into the groove 184 in the conveyor belt 183 with said portions 155 extending longitudinally of said groove to pick up seeds carried by said conveyor belt in the manner hereinafter to be described. Desirably, the rate of movement of said conveyor belt 183 is slightly less than the rate of movement of the pickup assembly to facilitate pickup of the seeds.

The shaft 181, as shown in FIG. 5, mounts a gear 191 which meshes with a drive gear 192 mounted on shaft 193 which also mounts a pulley 194, the latter being driven by a belt 195 in the manner hereinafter to be described. Thus, upon rotation of pulley 194 and gears 192 and 191, the conveyor belt183 will be rotated in a counterclockwise direction, referring to FIG. 4.

Means are provided to charge the conveyor belt 183 with the seeds to be encapsulated.

To this end, as shown in FIG. 4, for example, a feed tube 196 is mounted on the front wall 173 laterally displaced from a window 197, also mounted on said front wall, said feed tube having a funnel 198 at its upper end into which seeds may be poured.

The seeds will drop down the inclined wall 175 of the chamber 170' to the lower end thereof as shown in FIG. 8, for example.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the block 177 at the lower end of the trough defined by the inclined walls 175, 176 has a tapered top surface 199 leading into a vertical slot 201 which in turn leads into a transverse bore 202. Extending downwardly as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 is an air nozzle 203 which is designed to blow a jet of air against the seeds as they fall by gravity down the sidewalls 175, 176 of the trough so that such seeds will be forced through the vertical slot 20.! into the transverse bore 202. Desirably, baffles 205 are provided to deflect any seeds that may be forced upwardly, to the slot 201.

Secured in one end of the block 177 is an airline 204 which has a plurality of noules 205' of different length extending into said bore 202. Thus, when air under pressure is forced through line 204 it will entrain the seeds forced into the bore 202 through a feedpipe 206 which has one end secured to the other end of said bore 202.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 3, 4 and 7, the feedpipe extends upwardly from the block 177 into a chamber 207, an air nozzle 28, FIG. 8, being associated with the feedpipe 206 to assist in movement of the seeds into the chamber 207.

As shown in FIG. 4, the chamber 207 extends upwardly from the top wall 209 of a hopper 211, the latter illustratively being substantially rectangular as shown in FIG. 10 and having inspection windows 212 on two opposed walls thereof.

The floor 213 of the hopper 211 is downwardly inclined as shown and a discharge opening 214 is provided between the front edge of floor 213 and the lower end of wall 215 of hopper 213. Extending downwardly from said opening 214 is a chute 216 which tapers into a relatively narrow outlet and 217, the latter being aligned with and positioned directly over the elongated groove 184 in the conveyor belt 183 adjacent the pulley 179.

As the result of the foregoing arrangement, the seeds that are changed into the inlet or hopper end 198 of tube 196 will fall to the bottom of the chamber 120' and be entrained upwardly through the tube 206 into the hopper 211 to be discharged through chute 216 into the groove 184 in the conveyor belt and then advanced by said conveyor belt to the forward end 218 thereof, where the seeds will then be discharged down the inclined wall 175 for recirculation.

The chute 216 has an adjustable outlet end 217 so that the quantity of seeds discharged onto the conveyor belt 183 may be regulated. The quantity of seeds discharged from outlet 217 of chute 216 is such that the height of the seeds carried in the groove 184 in the belt will be above the plane of the nozzle end 156 of the pickup tube 155 to insure that the nozzle 156 will be embedded into the seeds so that it may dependably pick up one of said seeds in the manner to be described. The speed of rotation of the conveyor belt is adjusted so that it is slightly slower than the rate of advance of the nozzles 156 carried by the pickup assembly 40 to insure that the nozzles 156 will move into the seeds carried by the belt to insure dependable pickup.

Asthe pickup assembly 40 rotates, the nozzles 156, as shown at A in FIG. 4, will emerge from the groove 184 of the conveyor belt and successively pass through a notch 221 (FIG.

6) in an inclined baffle plate 222 (FIG. 4). As shown in FIG. 4, the baffle plate is secured between the sidewalls 171, 172 of the camber 170 and is downwardly inclined toward the end wall 173 thereof, being spaced therefrom as at 223.

Means are provided to remove any excess seeds that may adhere to the nozzles 156 as they pass through the notch 221.

To this end, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, a block 224 is secured to each of the walls 171, 172 adjacent the arcuate edge 186 thereof and above the level of the baffle plate 222. Each of the blocks 224 carries a plurality of air nozzles 225 which are directed downwardly and inwardly leaving a space 226 therebetween through which the nonles 156 may pass as the pickup member is rotated. The air nozzles 225 are connected to a suitable source of air under pressure and will blow jets of air against the ends of the noules 156 so that any seeds adhering thereto will be removed and will flow down the baffle plate 222 into the chamber 170' to be recirculated. The velocity of the air jets from nozzles 225 is such that although it will readily remove loose seeds adhering to the nozzles 156, it will not remove the single seed retained by vacuum in the nozzle itself.

More particularly, as shown in FIG. 19, the tip of the seed S will be drawn into the recess 162 in the nozzle by the vacuum applied to the bore 161 thereof and will be securely retained in the recess by the vacuum applied to bore 161.

It is to be noted that some slight vacuum may be present at the periphery of the recess 162 which could retain additional seeds S in the nozzle. However, such additional seeds are only retained in place by relatively slight force and hence will readily be discharged by the air nozzles or air knives 225, as previously described.

With continued rotation of the pickup device, the seed carried by each of the nozzles 156 is advanced to a discharge station including a seed discharge assembly 230 where the seed is released for further processing.

SEED DISCHARGE ASSEMBLY As shown in FIGS. 1, 11, 15 and 17, the discharge station includes a discharge tube 231 which is curved as shown in FIG. 15 and has a slot 232 in the wall portion thereof facing the pickup assembly 40, extending from its upper end 233 downwardly a portion of the length of the tube 231. The length of the slot 232 is such that the end portion of each of the pickup tubes may enter into the slot, move downwardly through the slot in an arcuate path corresponding to the curve of the upper portion of the discharge tube 231 and then move out of the slot as is clearly shown in FIGS. 15. The cam roller 66, shown in FIGS. 11, 12 and 13, is so positioned that when the portion 155 enters the slot 232, the cam roller 66 will react against the cap 127 of an associated valve member 114 and move the latter inwardly from the position shown in FIG. 14 to the position shown in FIG. 13 so that the suction port 138 will be closed and the air pressure port 137 will be opened. As a result, a jet of air under pressure will be applied through passageways 135, 136 (FIG. 13) into the bore of the pickup tube 151 and through said bore into the bore 161 of noule 156 (FIG. 19) to force the seed S outwardly so that it will be expelled downwardly through the discharge tube 231.

As shown in FIG. 17, the lower end of the discharge tube 231 has a funnel 235 secured thereto, said funnel having a cylindrical outlet stem 236 with a bore 237 extending therethrough. The funnel 235 and the discharge tube 231 secured thereto are rigidly supported, as shown in FIG. 17, by a bracket 238.

Secured to the stem 236 of funnel 235 is a casing 241 which is also supported by the bracket 238. The casing 241 has a vertical bore 242 therethrough in the upper end of which the stem 236 is secured. A passageway 243 extends'transversely through casing 241 intercepting vertical bore 242. A source of light 244 is positioned in one end of passageway 243 and a photocell 245 in the other end. Thus, when a seed S is discharged through the bore 237 of stem 236 and through 

1. Equipment for picking up individual seeds from a mass thereof, which comprises a conveyor for transporting said mass of seeds, a chamber having sidewalls and end walls, said end walls sloping toward each other to define an outlet at their lower ends, said conveyor comprising an endless belt, a pair of spaced pulleys positioned in the upper end of said chamber and extending between the sidewalls thereof, said conveyor belt encompassing said pulleys, said conveyor belt having an upper run and a lower run, means providing an arcuate path of movement of a portion of the upper run of the conveyor belt extending between said pulleys, said conveyor belt having an inlet and outlet end on opposed sides of said arcuate portion, said conveyor belt having a longitudinal groove in its outer surface between its side edges, a plurality of said pickup means, each having a pickup nozzle, means rotatably to mount said plurality of said seed pickup means for advance thereof in timed relation with the advance of said conveyor for successive movement of said plurality of nozzles into and out of the mass of seeds carried in the longitudinal groove in the arcuate portion of said conveyor belt, a seed hopper associated with said chamber, said seed hopper having an outlet aligned with the longitudinal groove in said conveyor belt for discharge of seeds into said longitudinal groove, means to apply suction to each of said nozzles while it is moving through said mass of seeds, whereby individual seeds will be picked up by each of said suction means and the remaining seeds advanced by said belt will be dropped into said chamber to fall by gravity to the outlet thereof, a seed conduit having one end connected to said outlet of said chamber and the other end connected to said seed hopper for continuous recirculation of said remaining seeds and means after each of said nozzles has moved out of said mass of seeds successively to discontinue the suction applied to each nozzle and to discharge the seed carried thereby.
 2. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which an inclined deflector plate is positioned in said chamber between the sidewalls thereof adjacent the outlet end of said conveyor belt and positioned above the latter, the upper edge of said plate providing clearance for movement of said pickup means therethrough after said pickup means have been moved out of the groove of said conveyor belt and air pressure means positioned above said plate to direct a source of air under pressure against said pickup means to remove excess seeds adhering thereto for movement of said seeds down said deflector plate into said chamber.
 3. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which said chamber has a cavity at its lower end defining said outlet, said cavity extending transversely across said chamber, said seed conduit has one end connected to one end of said cavity and its other end connected to sAid seed hopper and means are provided to force air under pressure into the other end of said cavity whereby the seeds falling into said cavity will be blown through said conduit into said hopper.
 4. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which said chamber has a block at its lower end extending transversely thereacross, said block having a transverse bore extending therethrough and a vertical slot of smaller cross-sectional width than the diameter of said bore rising vertically therefrom, said slot and associated bore defining said outlet, said seed conduit having one end connected to said hopper, and means to apply a source of air under pressure to the other end of said bore to force the seeds accumulated in said bore through said conduit into said hopper.
 5. The combination set forth in claim 4 in which the top surface of said block is substantially V-shaped in cross section defining a pair of inclined sidewalls leading into said slot, the lower edges of the end walls of said chamber being connected to said block to define a substantially continuous surface together with the sidewalls of the top surface of said block.
 6. The combination set forth in claim 4 which an air nozzle is provided extending through one of the sidewalls of said chamber having its outlet end directed toward said slot to force the seeds accumulating at the lower end of said chamber through said slot into transverse bore.
 7. The combination set forth in claim 4 in which an air nozzle is provided extending through one of the sidewalls of said chamber having its outlet end directed toward said slot to force the seeds accumulating at the lower end of said chamber through said slot into said transverse bore, and baffle means are provided extending transversely across said chamber and positioned over said nozzle to restrict upward movement of the seeds.
 8. The combination set forth in claim 4 in which a plurality of air nozzles of different lengths extend into said transverse bore and means are provided to apply air under pressure to said air nozzles for movement of the seeds from said bore into said conduit.
 9. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which an air nozzle leads into said conduit to enhance the movement of the seeds therethrough, when air under pressure is applied to said air nozzle.
 10. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which a feed funnel is provided at the end of said chamber remote from the end thereof mounting said said seed hopper, whereby said chamber may be initially charged with a mass of seeds.
 11. An equipment for picking up individual seeds from a mass of such seeds comprising an endless conveyor belt, a pair of spaced pulleys each rotatable on a horizontal axis, said conveyor belt encompassing said pulleys, means to drive at least one of said pulleys to advance said conveyor belt, said conveyor belt having an upper and lower run, means to provide movement of at least a portion of the upper run of said conveyor belt extending between said pulleys in an arcuate path, said conveyor belt having an inlet end and an outlet end on opposed ends of said arcuated portion, means to deposit a mass of seeds on said conveyor belt at the inlet end thereof, a pickup device rotatably mounted on an axis extending transversely with respect to the path of movement of said conveyor belt, said pickup device having a plurality of pickup members extending radially outward therefrom and equidistantly spaced around the circumference of said pickup device, each of said pickup members comprising a hollow tube extending substantially radially outward from said pickup device, each of said tubes having a finger at the outer end thereof, said fingers extending at substantially right angles to the tubes and being movable through the mass of seeds carried by at least the arcuate portion of said conveyor belt as said pickup member is rotated, each of said fingers having a pickup nozzle at its free end adapted to abut against such mass of seeds, means to apply suction through said tubes aNd said nozzles at least while said nozzles are moved through the mass of seeds carried by the arcuate portion of said conveyor belt, thereby to pick up a single seed with each of said nozzles, and means after said nozzles have moved away from the arcuate portion of said conveyor belt successively to discontinue the application of suction to said nozzles and apply pressure thereto for successive discharge of said seeds.
 12. The combination set forth in claim 11 in which a hollow shaft is provided, means securely to retain said hollow shaft in fixed position extending transversely across said conveyor belt, said shaft defining the axis of said pickup device, a pair of cylindrical chambers each of greater dimension than said shaft and encompassing the latter, said chambers, being longitudinally spaced with respect to said shaft and in sealing engagement therewith, rotary bearings associated with said chambers and encompassing said shaft, means to rotate said chambers in unison, means providing a source of air under pressure into one of said chambers, means providing a source of suction to the other of said chambers, a plurality of valve means corresponding in number to the plurality of pickup members, means mounting said valve means for movement in unison with said chambers, each of said valve means having a gas pressure inlet port connected to said suction chamber and an outlet port to which an associated pickup member is connected, each of said valve means having a movable valve member normally connecting the suction port thereof to said outlet port and means controlled by the rotation of said pickup member successively to actuate said movable valve means to disconnect the suction port from said outlet port to connect said pressure port to said outlet port.
 13. The combination set forth in claim 12 in which a pair of sleeves are provided each of greater dimension than said hollow shaft and encompassing the latter, said sleeves being longitudinally spaced on said shaft, the annular cavity defined between said sleeve and said shaft forming said suction chamber and said pressure chamber, each of said sleeves having an end plug in each end thereof through said hollow shaft extends, sealing means carried by each of said end plugs and engaging the shaft to effect said sealing engagement of said chamber with said shaft, a pair of spaced parallel plates positioned between the adjacent inner ends of said sleeves and rigid therewith, said valve means each comprising a block extending transversely between said plates and secured thereto, said valve blocks being circumferentially arranged in equally spaced relation to define an annulus of greater diameter than said sleeves, said outlet port of each of said valve extending radially outward from said block and said movable valve members extending radially inward from each of said blocks, means rotatably to mount said sleeves and said plates on said shaft, means to rotate said sleeves and said plates and a fixed abutment member in the path of movement of said inwardly extending movable valve members successively to be engaged thereby to actuate the associated valve.
 14. The combination set forth in claim 13 in which said fixed abutment member comprises an arm rigidly secured to said hollow shaft and extending outwardly therefrom, said arm having abutment means at its free end in the path of movement of the inwardly extending movable valve member.
 15. The combination set forth in claim 13 in which said abutment means comprises a roller rotatably mounted at the end of said arm.
 16. The combination set forth in claim 12 in which a discharge tube is provided arcuately displaced from the position where said pickup nozzles move out of the mass of seeds carried by said conveyor belt, said discharge tube having an inlet, said pickup nozzles being successively movable into juxtaposition to the inlet of said discharge tube and the means successively to actuate said valve means comprises an abutment member mounted in fixed position in The path of movement, of the inwardly extending control members of said valve means, said abutment member being positioned to actuate an associated valve member when the pickup nozzle associated with said valve member is in juxtaposition to the inlet of said discharge tube, whereby the suction to said nozzle will be cut off and pressure will be applied thereto to discharge the seed carried by said nozzle into said discharge tube.
 17. The combination set forth in claim 16 in which said discharge tube has a vertical slot in the wall into and out of which said nozzles will successively pass during the arcuate movement thereof.
 18. As an article of manufacture, a discharge nozzle for seeds, comprising a tube having an axial bore therethrough and having frustoconical outer surface through which said bore extends, said surface tapering inwardly toward said bore, a flexible diaphragm secured to the outer surface of said nozzle and having a central opening axially aligned with said bore and of diameter when unstretched slightly less than the diameter of the seed, the portion of said diaphragm adjacent the periphery of said central opening extending inwardly of the periphery of said bore.
 19. The combination set forth in claim 18 in which the outer portion of said bore is of enlarged diameter greater than that of said seed. 